


Of Godlings, Spoons and Trades

by SleepingReader



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Geralt is an idiot, Humour, Jaskier getting into trouble, Jaskier is an idiot, M/M, Original Godling Character, Pre-Relationship, Rhymes, but who are we kidding these dudes in LOV, godling (the witcher), magic deals, no beta we die like stregobor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:07:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26362387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepingReader/pseuds/SleepingReader
Summary: The forest was quiet and still.And Geralt couldn't stand it. Why did nothing happen? It was frustrating and annoying....'Oh, I can help!' the creature said. 'My name is Kuba! Can you sing and play for me? I can trade!'The creature called Kuba held up a spoon.Something in Geralt's mind clicked. Kuba stood at about the height of an eight-year old child, with dark grey skin and eyes the size of, for want of a better word, dinner plates. They had sticks sticking out of their blue-black hair, but Geralt was sure that they weren't random twigs found in the forest, but rather the little godling's antlers.Something else also clicked, but right as he opened his mouth to say something, Jaskier had taken the trade...
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Roach, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier | Dandelion & Roach
Comments: 12
Kudos: 89





	Of Godlings, Spoons and Trades

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TinyThoughts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinyThoughts/gifts).



It had, surprisingly, been a quiet day. The forest they were passing through was sunlit and open, the few marshy patches that usually held creatures silent and still. Even at night, nothing had happened save for an owl staring at their fire for a bit.  
As if the world had taken a little break from things.  
To the Witcher, Geralt of Rivia, that usually meant that some shit was about to go down.  
He hadn't had a quiet day since his fucking hair turned white.

This might have explained why he was so on edge while his friend Jaskier sat on a stump and was contentedly strumming nonsense on his lute, composing an 'epic song mostly made out of _lelele_ sounds'. The fact that Jaskier was composing an epic song mostly made out of _lelele_ sounds might have also have something to do with why Geralt was so on edge.  
Eventually, and after a pinecone to the face, Jaskier changed into a somewhat nicer tune.  
The world settled in around Geralt, and he _hated_ it. Something was about to happen, and soon.

But it didn't. The afternoon turned into evening, and night fell as slow as it always does in summer. Jaskier, who seemed to have no problem playing for the trees, kept strumming.  
Geralt, to his own surprise, felt himself nodding off. The music from Jaskier's lute combined with the sway of the breeze in the trees and the slight scrabbling of squirrels and beetles in the forest around them. The thoughts in his head became muddled, like his brain was taking a nap but his senses were still awake. It was just to the right of meditation, and he much preferred this. Good, solid forest ground, the deep breathing of Roach beside him, Jaskier's strumming. Wind. Birds.

'LILIT'S SAGGING LEFT TIT!'

Geralt sat up with a jolt, his hand on a knife before he even knew it.  
Jaskier had fallen back off of his stump, his legs and feet only visible. Opposite him, to the left of Geralt, someone else was also in grave danger of falling off of their own stump, the creature laughing so hard that they kept losing their balance.  
Jaskier scrambled up again, sputtering and wiping his slightly-too-long-fringe out of his eyes.  
The creature stopped laughing and grinned up at the bard.  
Jaskier looked over at Geralt, who was trying his best to wake up his brain.  
'Uuuh, Geralt? Little help here? Whaaa… who is this?'  
'Oh, I can help!' the creature said. 'My name is Kuba! Can you sing and play for me? I can trade!'  
The creature called Kuba held up a spoon.

Something in Geralt's mind clicked. Kuba stood at about the height of an eight-year old child, with dark grey skin and eyes the size of, for want of a better word, dinner plates. They had sticks sticking out of their blue-black hair, but Geralt was sure that they weren't random twigs found in the forest, but rather the little godling's antlers.  
Something else also clicked, but right as he opened his mouth to say something, Jaskier had taken the trade.  
Fuck. Here it came.

'Thank you! I'd be happy to perform for you!' Jaskier said, taking the spoon. Why was he so good with children? Damn it.  
Kuba clapped their little hands. 'Yaaay! You took my trade! Now you get to sing for me for ever and ever and ever!' the godling cheered, looking up at Jaskier as if he wanted to hug the man.  
Jaskier suddenly turned very pale. Kuba the godling turned to Geralt.  
'Sorry for not asking you, would you like to stay with us for a bit?'  
Geralt, knowing better than to argue with a godling, nodded curtly.  
'Yes, but not forever.'  
Kuba seemed to think about it. Then they nodded. 'I guess you must have biiig monsters to hunt, with your swords!'  
Fuck, this seemed to require some negotiating.  
'Jaskier?' Geralt asked, slightly tentatively, hoping the bard would be able to talk his way out of this. But a trade is a trade, and Jaskier had just traded his voice for a spoon. Jaskier looked frantically from Geralt to Kuba, opening his mouth, but nothing came out.  
'It's ok, you can talk to _him_ ' Kuba said to Jaskier. 'Friends should always talk to friends!'  
Jaskier opened his mouth to speak.  
'Hmmm, but only when it's in rhyme.' Kuba said, giggling.  
Jaskier sighed. Then he spoke.

' _Learned this lesson in Oxenfurt  
Making one through rhyme heard  
Geralt, please just be clever  
Can't stay here for ever and ever_'

'You got yourself into this mess, you can get yourself out. Why not rhyme that you want out of the deal or something?'

_Geralt, I promise you  
There's not much I wouldn't do  
To get out of this, but really  
would YOU take me seriously?_'

Kuba rubbed their chin thoughtfully. 'Not sure if that rhymed, but I'll count it as one.'  
Geralt saw Jaskier's point. No use begging for one's freedom if you can only beg in rhyme.  
Jaskier saw Geralt's expression, sighed resignedly, picked up his lute and began to play a tune.

' _I know this is my mess but get me out  
And I promise that I'll never pout  
I promise that I won't complain  
I'll follow you and Roach in the rain_'

'You can pout all you like, Jaskier.' Geralt found himself saying.  
Jaskier smiled slightly and played on. Strange, Geralt could smell no fear on him. Just.  
Trust.  
Fuck, here goes nothing.  
'Listen, Kuba, I… Need this bard on the Path.'  
Kuba looked at him, head cocked. 'Why?'  
'Because he spreads good stories about me.'  
'Why?'  
'Because he's my friend.'  
'Why?'  
'Uuuh.'  
'Well, he's my friend now, too. But don't worry, you can come visit aaaany time!' Kuba said happily, patting Geralt on the knee in what they probably assumed was a grown-up comforting fashion.  
'That's very generous of you,' Geralt tried again, trying his very best not to upset the Godling. Godlings were so rare these days, and this was only the second he had ever met in his whole life. 'But I really need him to come with me.'  
'Why?'  
Ok, time for a different solution. This one worked with fae a lot.  
'Because I love him.' Geralt said deadpan, a jolt of _something_ rushing up him when Jaskier struck a discordant note.  
'Yeah, so do I!' Kuba said happily, looking over at Jaskier. 'He plays so good! That's why I'm keeping him!'  
Fuck.

Night passed, and Jaskier kept playing. He didn't look it, but Geralt could smell the exhaustion on his friend.  
'Kuba?' Geralt asked.  
'Hmm?'  
'I think our friend is tired, maybe he'd like a nap.'  
'Huh? Oh yeah! Go to sleep, it's okay!'  
Jaskier immediately put down his lute and curled up on his bedroll. Seemed like his magic deal included when the performance would end.  
'You get some sleep too, sword man, sir! Don't worry, I'll look after you!' Kuba said.  
Geralt didn't doubt him, for godlings were protectors of homestead and sticklers for hospitality.

Night turned to day. And after a solid eight hours of sleep, Jaskier was asked again to play by Kuba. This time, the little godling even swayed and danced along.  
Geralt hadn't been sleeping, but rather meditating on their predicament. Jaskier played while Kuba went into his hole in the ground to grab breakfast. Geralt went closer to Jaskier.  
'I'm going to go into town, Jaskier,' he whispered. 'I'll fix it.'

Jaskier whispered back in rhyme.  
' _While I'd rather been drinking  
Thats what I'd been thinking  
Maybe the one to release me from my cage  
Is our favourite sexy mage?_'

Geralt hummed, because he had been thinking the same thing. Rumour had it that Yennefer was in the town they were going to.  
'Hey, no whispering!' Kuba said, and Jaskier began to sing with some more volume.  
'Time for me to leave, Kuba' Geralt told the little godling. 'I'll be back soon.'  
'And maybe you'll have some new stories for us!' Kuba said, nodding enthusiastically.

Geralt hummed and gave a curt nod, then went to tackle up Roach, who had been munching on grass. She took her saddle and bridle with grace, but when Geralt began to lead her away, she stopped. He tugged the bridle a little. She tugged back to look at Jaskier.  
'Jaskier's staying here for a while, girl. We need to find Yen.'  
Roach snorted. Then, she pulled loose from Geralt. Walked over to Jaskier and nuzzled him, trying to get him to stand up. Geralt remembered she had done that once before, after their incident on the mountain, when she didn't want Jaskier to leave again.  
''S okay, Roach. Come on.' Geralt said, pulling on her bridle again. She put her nose in his chest and shoved him gently backwards.

Then, she walked over to Kuba, who stood stock-still, eye to eye with the large bay mare.  
Roach huffed. Flicked her tail.  
'But I…'  
Roach turned her ears back.  
'A spoon!'  
Roach snorted.  
Tears started to fall down Kuba's face. 'Please can I keep him?'  
Roach shook her mane.  
Kuba turned to Geralt, tear-streaked cheeks glinting in the sunlight .  
'You didn't tell me he belonged in your home.'  
Geralt looked to Roach, to Kuba.  
'I didn't want to offend you.' Geralt said dumbly.  
Kuba wiped their tears away. Roach nosed at them. Kuba patted her.  
'I think I offended your house.'  
'My horse?'  
Kuba giggled. 'Same thing round here.'

Then Jaskier spoke, strumming his lute in song.  
 _'On roads far and paths long  
There's not much house to belong  
Caravans are mighty, but of course  
one's true home could be a horse'_

Kuba nodded. They walked to Jaskier.  
'May I have my spoon back, please?'  
Jaskier gave it to them.  
'Thank you for letting me borrow your singing for a while. But you belong home.' Kuba said simply. Jaskier set his lute aside and held out his arms. Kuba jumped into them, and Jaskier hugged the godling tight.  
'You're right, I already have a home.' The bard said. 'But thank you for letting me play for you.'  
The two let go, and Kuba waved them goodbye.

A week later, a new song ran through the continent like wildfire. It went something like this:

_And so the young maiden, too brave, too soon  
Scooped out her voice with a silver spoon  
Lay it there in the field to catch the dew  
And from that voice, a forest grew_

And if a certain bard had a music box made of the tune and then promptly lost it in a forest, coming out of said forest while holding a spoon, that was pure coincidence.

And when the contracts came for the haunting music coming out of the forest, Geralt made sure no Witcher took one.

**Author's Note:**

> Our poor bard, in a bad trade  
> thankfully, Roach wasn't too late  
> Then again, to me it sounds pretty clever  
> singing my heart out in a forest forever.


End file.
